|
-
PR No. 60 Taking notice of the bomb blast in a house in Karachi, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has expressed concern that the storage of ammunition in residential area of the metropolis remained unnoticed by the law enforcement agencies. He ordered inquiry into the incident and directed the authorities to immediately submit a report to him in this regard.
PR No. 61 Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo has sent four helicopters and aid mission to the land sliding affected Hunza Village for rescue operation. The Minister has desired the Chief Secretary Baltistan to personally supervise the ongoing relief efforts being provided by the government to the land sliding hit Hunza Village people and extend full cooperation. He directed the hospital authorities to provide best medical facilities to the injured. He further said that his Ministry is pursuing the Federal Government to provide relief package for the clamity affected area immediately. And his Ministry would do all out efforts to address this disaster.
PR
No. 62 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, while highlighting the economic cost of around US $ 35 billion borne by Pakistan in the war against terrorism, in the past eight years, has called upon the US to help the Government of Pakistan revive its economy, which currently is its top priority. The Prime Minister underlined the need for the provision of greater market access to Pakistan under GSP Plus arrangements, use of Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and other US mechanisms for encouraging its investors to invest in energy, infrastructure, agriculture and water sectors to assist government of Pakistan’s endeavours to boost the economy. He was talking to the US Congressional delegation led by Senator John McCain, which called on him at the PM’s House this morning. The Prime Minister expressed his serious reservations on the new security measures introduced by the US government for screening Pakistani nationals in the United States and termed them discriminatory. He stated that such policies cause consternation and anxiety among the people of Pakistan and their continuity can negatively impact the bilateral ties. The Prime Minister urged the US government to revisit this policy and asked for immediate removal of Pakistan from the list of the countries affected by it. The Prime Minister also expressed his concerns over the delay in reimbursement of the mounting outstanding amount on account of Coalition Support Fund (CSF) to Pakistan which by December, 2009 had crossed the limit of US $ 2 billion. He said this inordinate delay in receipt of payments from the US is affecting its campaign against terrorism. He stressed that the disbursement issue of CSF Fund must not be linked with any other issue and the overdue payments to Pakistan must be made on fast-track basis. Prime Minister reiterated his government’s disappointment over the continuing drone attacks and persisting reluctance of the US to share drone technology with Pakistan to enable it to take on the terror centers in its border areas itself. Senator John McCain paid tribute to the Prime Minister and the Government of Pakistan for their resolute and steadfast commitment against the evil forces of terrorism and lauded Pakistan Armed Forces’ successes in the Malakand and South Waziristan operations. He clarified that his statement in Kabul yesterday about drone attacks had been misquoted by the press and he would like Pakistan and US sides to discuss and resolve this irritant at the earliest so that the cordial and strategic relationship between the two countries could be further strengthened. Senator Joseph Lieberman who is the Chairman of Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee of the US Senate, agreed with the Prime Minister on the negative fallout of the new security measures introduced by the US for screening the citizens of Pakistan besides other countries and stated that he himself was skeptical about the usefulness of these measures. He assured the Prime Minister that he will take up this issue in the next meeting of his Committee, soon after the US Congress reconvenes its session later this month. The US Senate delegation also promised their complete support towards the resolution of CSF reimbursement and economic assistance issues with Pakistan and assured the Prime Minister that the US will persist in its policy of maintaining the long term strategic partnership with Pakistan. Other members of the delegation included Senator John Barrasso, Senator John Thune, Mr. Christian Brose, Foreign Policy Advisor of Senate Armed Services Committee and US Ambassador in Pakistan, Ms. Anne W. Patterson. Federal Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi; Defence, Ch. Ahmad Mukhtar; Finance, Mr. Shaukat Fayyaz Tarin and Secretaries Defence, Foreign Affairs and Interior also attended the meeting.
PR
No. 63 Federal Minister for Commerce, Makhdoom Amin Fahim called on Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani at the PM’s House this afternoon and apprised him of various matters pertaining to his Ministry. He also apprised the Prime Minister of matters relating to his constituency including the status of ongoing development schemes. **PMCO/Ahmad**
PR No. 64 Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Parvez Ashraf has said that Investors should be facilitated through one window operation from where they can get all approvals and NOCs which should be acceptable & applicable to all Ministries, Divisions and Departments. The present procedure for investors is very agonizing. We must get rid of this. The investors hardly complete and fulfill demands and requirements of the one Ministry or Department and succeed in getting approval after so many meetings and visits, that they are stuck up for getting approval of the same proposal in another Ministry or Department. It takes years and not months of investors for taking approvals and NOCs from different Ministries, Divisions and Departments. Resultantly Investors run away. We must abolish such a difficult & discouraging and an aging & lengthy procedures for investors, said Raja Parvez Ashraf while presiding over an Inter-Ministerial Meeting on investment in Power Sector in the Committee Room of the Ministry today for discussing and reviewing different proposals & aspects and pros & cons before signing an MOU with an American Company G.E. The US G.E.Company is interested for investment in Pakistan. G.E. manufactures and produces multifarious and multipurpose machinery & equipments of different projects. The Minister stressed the need for investment in Coal Energy as the government takes it on priority. Secretary Ministry of Water & Power Shahid Rafi said that all the stake holders must study thoroughly and minutely the whole proposals which should be economical and viable for all before signing MOU with G.E. We must on board the IPDF along with PPRA as I see their vital role in this agreement, said Shahid Rafi. The meeting was also attended by Secretary BOI and representatives of Ministries of Railways, Finance, Planning Commission and AEDB. The all stake holders will again meet tomorrow i.e.09.01.2010 Saturday in the Board of Investment at 11.00a.m. **MAB/Ahmad**
PR
No. 65 Federal Interior Ministry has constituted a committee under the headship of Additional Secretary in order to investigate the target killing in Karachi. The committee will be available in Block no: 41/42 Pakistan secretariat, National Crisis Management cell, Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan, on 10th and 11th January from 11 am till 02:00 pm. Those family members affected by the incidents of target killing may contact the committee to provide any information or to submit their statements. The contacts are 021-99203097 / 99206828. **MSW/Ahmad**
PR
No. 66 Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar has termed as baseless and incorrect the reports in a section of the media that the President in a recent meeting expressed displeasure over the conversion of Punjab government’s overdraft of fifty billion rupees into a loan by the Finance Ministry allegedly bypassing the President or the Prime Minister.
In a statement the spokesperson said that neither the
President has taken any meeting on the subject nor the issue cropped up in
any other meeting of the President. SAK/wh
PR
No. 67 Federal Minister for Housing and Works, Rahmatullah Kakar has said that amendments in the existing housing policy with focus on building codes would be finalized by the end of June this years. Talking to the reporters, the Minister said that experts of the Ministry have already held three meeting and hopefully the amendments would be introduced by the target date. He said that building codes in Islamabad were being followed in Zone I and it but these were not complied with in Chak Shahzad and other areas in the suburbs. He said, it was the fact that most of the areas had not been following the building codes but no action was taken by the previous regimes. The Minister said that revised building codes especially for multi-story buildings are being framed with the aim to avoid human as well as material losses in times of natural calamity. The Minister said that Ministry of Housing and Works wants to ensure strict application of building codes and CDA bye-laws in Islamabad. Mr. Kakar said that the Ministry of Housing and Works has also briefed the President and Prime Minister about the speedy development of the housing sector plan. Regarding the on-going Prime Minister’s Housing for All Programme, the Minister said that the government was according high priority for the provision of houses for the needy, poor government servants, and general public on affordable cost. Under this programme, one million housing units were being constructed across the country to mitigate the shelter problems of the people.
PR
No. 68 Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that Pakistan is committed to a durable strategic partnership with the US, premised on mutual interests, mutual respect and mutual trust. He underlined the need that both sides must undertake concerted efforts in this regard and should not allow the present trust deficit in the bilateral ties, caused by certain misperception and misgivings to linger on. The Prime Minister reassured the US of his government’s sincere efforts to build upon the traditional cordial bilateral ties spanned over 60 years period. He however stressed that the US government by undertaking measures like immediate disbursement of long withheld Coalition Support Fund to Pakistan, grant of enhanced market access to Pakistani products to the US market by entering into FTA, assist Pakistan in development of areas affected by terrorism and showing a non-discriminatory approach against Pakistan by also providing it with the civilian nuclear technology, can greatly improve its image amongst the people of Pakistan. The Prime Minister also identified de-hyphenating Pakistan with Afghanistan, treating Pakistan on equal footings with India and playing a pro-active role in resolution of core issues between Pakistan India including Kashmir and water disputes, as other required US measures, for long term stable and congenial relationship between the two countries. The Prime Minister said this in a meeting with the members of US Congressional delegation, led by Senator Mitch MacConnel which called on him at PM’s House this evening. The US Congressional delegation assured the Prime Minister of their complete support towards the resolution of CSF reimbursement issue and for working in the Congress for greater market access to Pakistani products. Other members of the delegation included, Senators, Ms. Lisa Murkowski, Mr. Mike Carpo, Mr. Roger F. Wicker and Representative Micheal N. Castle. US Ambassador Ms. Anne W. Patterson was also present during the meeting. ZY/wh
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
